games for cats and dogs – Petfinderhttps://www.petfinder.com
Pet adoption: Want a dog or cat? Adopt a pet on PetfinderFri, 09 Dec 2016 17:43:57 +0000en-UShourly1FREE Apps for Cats!https://www.petfinder.com/blog/2015/01/games_for_pets_cats_iphone_app/
Fri, 30 Jan 2015 20:24:11 +0000https://www.petfinder.com/blog/?p=614 Bored cat? There’s an app for that! If you’re looking for ways to keep your cat busy and stimulated, try downloading a free smartphone or tablet app designed just for cats. It’s well known that apps can help keep us humans busy when we find ourselves bored, but you …

If you’re looking for ways to keep your cat busy and stimulated, try downloading a free smartphone or tablet app designed just for cats. It’s well known that apps can help keep us humans busy when we find ourselves bored, but you may not have considered this as a remedy for your pet’s boredom as well.

Below are a few free apps that you may want to consider the next time your furry friend is acting bored, as well as some tips for getting your cat interested in these types of games.

Cat Fishing 2Download for iOS | Download for AndroidFriskies® new Cat Fishing 2 is an all-new game designed especially for cats. Tap “start” and get ready to watch your cat go for the catch of the day. The more she catches, the more challenging the game gets. Three levels of fun with one, two, and three fish at a time. And when the game is done you can share your cat’s score on Facebook, or post your cat’s high score on the worldwide Leaderboard.

Jitter BugDownload for iOSWith Friskies® JitterBug your cat can practice catching little bugs. In Game mode, there are five fifteen-second rounds to catch as many bugs as possible, and then you can share your cat’s score on Facebook.

There’s also an Advanced Mode where you can select how many of each kind of bug will appear. Advanced mode also features an Endless Play option, so your cat can practice as long as she likes. To exit Endless Play mode, simply shake the iPhone or iPad, and it will return to the main menu.

Happy WingsDownload for AndroidFriskies® Happy Wings welcomes your cat to a garden full of flittering critters, including a charming hummingbird, an irresistible moth and a little dragonfly. Watch these critters dance across the screen in teasing patterns to attract your cat’s attention, and enjoy multiple garden settings with ambient sounds. For each level, the game setting changes, the patterns become quicker and multiple creatures appear together.

Once the game progresses through a few levels, your cat is rewarded with a “You Won” and a cat-friendly “Play Again” button. So, presumably, your cat can participate in continuous play without human intervention.

Turn out the lights. A lit screen in a dark room will help grab their attention and keep it.

Bigger screens are better than small. For most, a bigger screen is usually better for grabbing a cat’s attention – so if you have a tablet, consider using that over a smartphone. (Though that’s not to say your cat won’t like a smartphone app just fine.)

Don’t leave your cat alone with it. Unless you want a broken screen when Kitty manages to knock it off the table, or teeth and claw marks when he decides to chew the sides, this is a toy that requires attentive supervision – for your cat’s safety as well as your mobile device’s.We’ve found that the bare glass screen on most tablets and phones will hold up to cat’s claws with no problems, but their claws could damage add-on plastic film ‘screen protectors’.

Show your cat how to play – and make it look fun! Play with the app on the floor in front of your cat. Touch the screen to make, say, a fish dart away. It may take a little while, but your cat should get the idea that pawing the screen in certain places makes it more fun to watch.

Let your cat go at his own pace. No one likes having something shoved in their face – including your cat. Whatever you do, do it slowly and nonchalantly. Don’t force your cat to play, and let him walk away if that’s what he chooses to do. Just try again later.

Enriching your cat’s environment is a must and a great way to make sure they have fulfilling, stimulating lives.

]]>This tiny change convinced my cats to get alonghttps://www.petfinder.com/blog/2013/02/cat-bird-feeder-video/
Wed, 20 Feb 2013 11:00:01 +0000https://www.petfinder.com/?p=19908This winter I installed a bird feeder just outside my window. While I knew my cats would like it, it’s changed their entire routines and helped them get along better as well. Before the feeder, my cats’ days were spent mostly napping or fighting over the most-comfortable pillow (to nap …

This winter I installed a bird feeder just outside my window. While I knew my cats would like it, it’s changed their entire routines and helped them get along better as well. Before the feeder, my cats’ days were spent mostly napping or fighting over the most-comfortable pillow (to nap on, of course). Now they spend time close to the window, waiting for the entertainment to start. But instead of fighting over the best spot like they used to, they’ve started sniffing each other and even napping within a few inches of each other sometimes. (Get tips for setting up your own bird feeder for your cats.)

I installed the feeder and started filling it with suet about a month ago. It took a few weeks, but eventually birds started coming by regularly. At first they were extremely hesitant — I’m sure seeing two alert cats through the screen and window was a bit unnerving at first! But eventually they seemed to realize that Kura and Peyton couldn’t get out. (They are both indoor-only cats.) The feeder itself is attached to the top bars of my air conditioner cage, so its location is also safe from the many feral cats in my neighborhood.

A month ago I never would have caught Kura and Peyton sleeping so close. Now they do it all the time.

Overall, it’s a great arrangement: the wild birds get a safe place to snack, my cats get a fun distraction and I get to see the surprising variety of bluejays, cardinals, sparrows and other birds that live in NYC. The surprising part is how much it’s changed the relationship between my “kids.” I’ve had Peyton as a foster for almost a year now and Kura and Peyton would barely tolerate each other. Whenever one came too close, hissing and posturing would start. But since I installed the feeder, both have started sharing space more readily. They even sleep within a few inches of each other now — something Kura has never done with a foster cat in the last thirteen years. Who knew?

TELL US: Do you have a bird feeder where your cats can watch the birds? Do you do anything else to promote harmony among your pets?

]]>Oliver the cat thinks he’s a … dog!https://www.petfinder.com/blog/2012/10/oliver-the-cat-thinks-hes-a-dog/
Fri, 19 Oct 2012 10:59:40 +0000https://www.petfinder.com/blog/?p=3442About a year and a half ago Oliver, an adorable 12 week old Siamese kitten, became part of our family. He was adopted from the St. Croix Animal Welfare Center on the Island of St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands. Almost immediately we noticed that he acted a little …

]]>About a year and a half ago Oliver, an adorable 12 week old Siamese kitten, became part of our family. He was adopted from the St. Croix Animal Welfare Center on the Island of St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands. Almost immediately we noticed that he acted a little different from our other three cats, Helen, Jasmine Sassylashes and Guinness. Oliver would sometimes act like a dog!

Oliver likes to stay fit by playing fetch!

Oliver often growls when someone knocks on the door and most amazingly, without any training or encouragement on our part, Oliver started to play fetch! He has two toy mice that he prefers, but will play fetch for hours if we let him. And he has no problem meowing loudly or gently biting your foot to remind you to toss his mouse if you take too long to continue the game. Fetch is now a daily morning routine in our house.

In fact, having grown up with Labrador Retrievers, I can honestly say that Oliver plays fetch better than they did. He quietly brings the mouse over to you, fetches it and drops it at your feet, sits, and awaits the next toss. Oliver and I hope you enjoy the video of him playing fetch as much as we do!

Does your cat play fetch, and if so how did you teach them to play or discover their hidden talent?

]]>Bored dog? Try these winter games!https://www.petfinder.com/blog/2012/02/bust_your_dogs_winter_boredom/
Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:00:38 +0000https://www.petfinder.com/blog/?p=922With shorter walks and less time outside, dogs can get stir crazy during the winter — and boredom can lead to overeating, stress and destructive behavior. Thinkstock But you can keep your dog’s brain busy with these fun, easy boredom-busting games: Cup game (a.k.a. shell game): Place three upside-down cups …

]]>With shorter walks and less time outside, dogs can get stir crazy during the winter — and boredom can lead to overeating, stress and destructive behavior.

Thinkstock

But you can keep your dog’s brain busy with these fun, easy boredom-busting games:

Cup game (a.k.a. shell game): Place three upside-down cups in front of your dog. Let her see you put a treat under one of them, then let her tip the cup over to get to the snack. Repeat. Once she’s got the hang of it, put the treat under the cup in a way that’s hidden from your dog’s view, so she has to sniff it out.Searching game: Hide treats or favorite (i.e. smelly) toys around the house, then encourage your dog to find them.

Teach a new trick: Teach your dog a fun new trick like “wave” or “take a bow.” If you’re feeling ambitious, teach him a multi-step trick like “take a nap” that you can show off at the dog park in the spring.

Rotate toys: Give your dog access to only a few of his toys each week. Then, at the end of the week, swap a few out for some of the toys you’ve had hidden away. This keeps the toys fresh in your dog’s eyes and makes you seem like the most generous mom ever.

Hide and seek: Position yourself and a pal at two different points in your home, preferably with something like a staircase between you. Then take turns calling your dog and rewarding him with a treat when he finds you. Each time your dog goes to one person, the other person changes location so your dog has to search for you again.

]]>Cognitive dysfunction syndrome: How thinking games help senior pets stay sharphttps://www.petfinder.com/blog/2011/04/cognitive_dysfunction_syndrome-3/
Wed, 27 Apr 2011 09:00:25 +0000https://www.petfinder.com/blog/?p=689Brinx is a healthy senior lab mix at Save-A-Pet in Grayslake, IL. Senior pets, like people, can suffer mental decline that is not considered a normal part of aging. Last time we wrote about how cognitive dysfunction syndrome, or CDS, is diagnosed. This week we’re looking at how using environmental …

And there’s another benefit to keeping your pet’s mind active: Studies show that it can prevent or delay cognitive dysfunction syndrome.

How does keeping my pet’s mind active help?
Enrichment activities may help pets build up a sort of cognitive reserve that shores them up against age-related mental decline later in life. And according to a study published in Ageing Research Reviews, early enrichment may also increase the creation of neurons in a dog’s brain later in life.

“There is evidence that providing environmental enrichment such as games, training and walks to dogs actually enhances the brain’s ability to compensate for age-related decline later in life,” says Dr. V, a veterinarian and author of the blog Pawcurious.

Senior pets can benefit from thinking challenges too. “One of the most important parts of treatment for [pets with CDS] is to increase mental stimulation,” says Karen Johnson, DVM, of Banfield Pet Hospital in Portland, OR.

What kinds of games and enrichment help CDS?
The idea is to keep your pet thinking in a fun, positive way. “To help keep your pets mentally, physically and emotionally healthy, engage their problem-solving skills by using food puzzles, teaching new tricks and introducing new toys,” says Dr. Ernie Ward, a Calabash, NC-based veterinarian. “And physical activities such as walks and playtime not only keep away unwanted pounds but also sharpen their minds.”

Tricks for treats: Teach your dog (or cat!) a trick he doesn’t know, or practice some of his old favorites such as sit, stay, wait and coming when called.

Hide and seek: Position yourself and a pal at two different points in your home. Then take turns calling your pet and rewarding him with a treat when he finds you. Each time your dog or cat goes to one person, the other person changes location so your pet has to search for you again. (Watch this Hide and Seek video for ideas.)

Remember that treating CDS usually involves a combination of therapies, so work with your doctor to identify which treatments might work best for your pet. But don’t forget to add in a few extra minutes of playtime with your pet each day — your pet will thank you for it.

Tell us: Do you do anything to keep your pet’s mind and body active while you’re not home?

Coming soon: How changing your pet’s diet may help with cognitive dysfunction syndrome.

]]>Games for Pets: 5 reasons to take away your pet’s toys (at least some of them)https://www.petfinder.com/blog/2011/02/games_for_pets_rotating_pet_to/
Thu, 10 Feb 2011 15:00:54 +0000https://www.petfinder.com/blog/?p=635Mickey is at Fox Valley Humane Association in Appleton, WI. This article is the latest in our series on environmental enrichment for pets, offering easy ways to keep your pet’s mind and body active. If living with, volunteering with and working with cats has taught me anything, it’s this: Cats …

The toys are less likely to end up forgotten under a couch or in a corner somewhere.

The toys will last longer (a bonus for your wallet).

Your house will be less cluttered and your pet’s bed will have more room for him in it.

You can “marinate” the toys in a container with treats or catnip to make them extra appealing when you bring them back out.

Every week or so I switch out a few of the toys. Voila! My cats get a whole “new” batch to play with. Add a DIY cat playhouse and you’re golden. (Money-saving tip: Stock up on toys when your pet-supply store has a sale, and then dole them out every few weeks instead of all at once.)

Finally, don’t forget about your other pets. My three-toed box turtle, Turt, is always more active when I put new turtle-safe objects (such as new rocks, plastic cat toys and non-toxic plants) in her enclosure.

If you have a rabbit, iguana, or other pet, making occasional small changes or additions to his or her environment will do a world of good for your pet’s physical and mental health.

]]>Games for Pets: Build this DIY cat playhouse in less than 15 minuteshttps://www.petfinder.com/blog/2011/01/games_for_pets_diy_cat_playhou/
Thu, 27 Jan 2011 19:59:27 +0000https://www.petfinder.com/blog/?p=623My new adoptee Wes, who has Cerebellar Hypoplasia, and foster kitten Peekaboo (also with CH) from K9Kastle in NYC love their playhouse. This article is the latest in our series on environmental enrichment for pets, offering easy ways to keep your pet’s mind and body active. Cats love to hide, …

Cats love to hide, climb, and pounce — and you don’t need to buy expensive cat furniture to help them satisfy those instincts. I built the cat playhouse in the video above with readily available items and in just a few minutes — and as you can see, my cats love it.

What you need:

A sharp knife
Two extra-large cardboard boxes (appliance boxes are perfect, but smaller ones that are big enough to hold your cat may work just as well)
Packing tape

Step 1
Tape one side of each cardboard box closed. Then tape the other side’s open flaps to each other, so one side of each box is shut and the other is taped open, creating a larger surface area inside.

Step two: door examples

Step 2
Cut two 5- 10″ openings into each box. The openings can be circular or square and go on any side of the box — even the top!

For a fun doorway that’s also a peephole, try cutting three sides of a square door, but leaving the fourth side attached to the box. (Tip: Place one hole at ground level on each box and then create another at chest level or above so your cat can look out.) It should go without saying that this should be done very carefully.

Step 3

Steps three and four

Lay box 1 on its long side so its open side is perpendicular to the ground. Lay box 2 on its short side so its open side is perpendicular to the ground, but so the box stands taller than the first.

Step 4
Tape the two open sides together so the bottom and one side of each box are taped directly to the other matching side. Reinforce the bond by crisscrossing the tape at the top corner where the two open sides meet (see the spot circled in red in the photo). This will leave one side of the playhouse completely closed while creating peepholes on the top and to one side.

Step 5
Toss in some catnip and your cat’s favorite toy, then leave the playhouse for your cat to discover.

No matter what you do, don’t push your cat inside — let him inspect the playhouse and get comfortable with it first. I’d bet that, before you know it, your cats will go as crazy for their new playhouse as my own do.

]]>Games for Pets: Indoor exercise for dogs to stay fit this winterhttps://www.petfinder.com/blog/2011/01/games_for_pets_indoor_exercise/
Wed, 19 Jan 2011 22:15:24 +0000https://www.petfinder.com/blog/?p=618Petfinder staffer Kim’s dog Mojo at his agility class at St. Hubert’s Dog Training School in Madison, NJ. This article is the latest in our series on environmental enrichment, offering easy ways to keep your pet’s mind and body active. Many of you made New Year’s resolutions to get active …

Many of you made New Year’s resolutions to get active with your pet — but that can be tough when it’s too cold to spend much time outside.

Tough, but not impossible! Here are some easy ways you and your dog can have fun and get moving … indoors.

Fetch: Toss your dog a ball and have him bring it back to you. Just remember to put your grandmother’s vase away first.

Laser pointer: Yes, these are generally for cats, but some dogs go wild for them. Just point it at the floor, move the light around and watch as your dog chases it.

Hide and seek: Position yourself and a pal at two different points in your home, preferably with something like a staircase between you. Then take turns calling your dog and rewarding him with a treat when he finds you. Each time your dog goes to one person, the other person changes location so your dog has to search for you again. (Watch this Hide and Seek video for ideas.)

Chasing bubbles: A lot of dogs (and cats too!) love chomping on bubbles. (Check out this video if you don’t believe me.) Set up near a fan for extra fun — just be sure to use pet-friendly bubbles (available in many pet-supply stores).

Agility class: For extra fun, enroll your dog in an indoor agility class. Your local shelter may offer one, or know of a place that does.

Your local pet-supply store: Bring your dog with you the next time you run to Petco or other pet-friendly store. Not only will this give your dog some interesting sights and smells, it’ll help him burn the calories off from all the extra winter treats.